Rory McIlroy swaps to two-time major-winning putter before Masters
Rory McIlroy swaps to a replica of two-time major-winning putter just two weeks before the Masters… and he’s already given it a spin on the Augusta greens as he gears up for a shot at the career Grand Slam!
- McIlroy won the 2011 US Open and 2012 USPGA with the Scotty Cameron putter
- The Northern Irishman took the replica on his scouting trip to Augusta last week
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Rory McIlroy has swapped back to the putter he used to win his first two majors just two weeks ahead of the Masters, according to a report.
With just two weeks to go until the first major of the year swings into full force at Augusta, McIlroy appears to be making great efforts to improve his game and boost his chance of finally clinching his coveted Green Jacket and completing the career Grand Slam.
The Northern Irishman has switched to a replica of Studio Select Newport GSS Prototype, the putter that he had in the bag for his 2011 US Open victory at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda and his 2012 PGA Championship triumph in Kiawah Island, according to The Telegraph.
The 33-year-old has used a mallet style flat-stick made by TaylorMade, who pays him approximately $20million per year to play its equipment, for the past four years.
The only exception came at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, when he swapped in a Scotty Cameron Phantom X 11.5 for the games before quickly returning to the TaylorMade Spider X Hyrdroblast.
Rory McIlroy has swapped back to the putter he used to win the 2012 USPGA (pictured)
The 33-year-old has had a replica (pictured) made of the flat-stick and will use it this week
McIlroy has enjoyed plenty of success with the club, returning to World No. 1 last year after one of his best seasons with the putter.
He finished 16th in the Tour’s 2022 putting standings, but so far this year, McIlroy’s performance on the greens has taken a significant hit.
He is currently positioned in 173rd on the charts – excluding his performance at the Dubai Desert Classic, where he performed well on the greens en route to winning.
His worst display came two weeks ago at The Players where McIlroy missed the cut for the first time in seven months.
The putter, along with the driver, significantly let him down, seeing him 125th in the ‘strokes gained putting’ calculations in the 144-man field.
It appears to have been the final nail in the coffin for the TaylorMade Spider X Hyrdroblast and McIlroy reportedly decided to have a replica of his old Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport GSS Prototype specially built.
The reigning TOUR champion is said to have taken the replica out for a spin on the Augusta greens when he went for a scouting trip last week.
Ahead of the $20million WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event in Austin, Texas, the Golf Channel quoted McIlroy as saying he ‘loved it on the greens of the Augusta National.’
His first two major wins came at the 2011 US Open (right) and the 2012 US PGSA (left)
He had found success with a mallet TaylorMade putter but his putting suffered at The Players
McIlroy played 36 holes at Augusta and reportedly needed only 19 putts in one of his rounds.
His tee game has also reportedly returned to fine form after a rollercoaster Players tournament.
McIlroy had to ditch his driver at Sawgrass after he had switched to a copy of the one teed him back up to World No. 1 three weeks prior after its trusted predecessor was in danger of becoming non-compliant due to the springiness of its clubface brought on by age.
But his driving stats at The Players ranked him 117th in the field for accuracy, which was a killer in the rough of Sawgrass.
He then switched it up once again, keeping the same driver head but fitting it with a Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6x shaft that is half-an-inch shorter than his previous one.
McIlroy will have at least three rounds, possibly more if he makes it out of the group stage of the Match Play tournament, to test out his new changes.
He will start his tournament against Scott Stallings, the world No 62, before taking on Keegan Bradley and Denny McCarthy.
The winner of the round-robin pool will go through to the weekend knockout stages with the overall champion set to collect $3.5million.
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